Editorial: First responders deserve holiday

By Halifax ENC

Published: Thursday, August 15, 2013 at 02:39 PM.

Much the same can be said for firefighters, who are not only prepared to enter a structure ablaze at a moment’s notice but also must be trained to administer life-saving medical service. How often have you seen a group of them trying to have lunch at a restaurant, only to be called out before their food arrives?

We should also include our 911 operators in this category. While they don’t go to emergency scenes, they, too, are first responders. They are the first ones to receive the calls, whether it is from a guy getting the clippings blown in his driveway or a child on the phone trying to give them directions to their house to save an older relative in peril. These men and women work long shifts, and their day is filled with unbelievable stress.

Somehow first responders need to recognized and appreciated. A national holiday might be a wonderful way.

No one we know of ever became wealthy working as one, yet they are on the job 24 hours a day. Right now, they are working for you.

We often take them for granted and they seldom come to mind until we need them.

Law enforcement officers are often first to arrive on the scene, whether it be an accident, robbery or domestic call.

In our business, we monitor the police scanner, and it is difficult to appreciate what first responders go through in a day unless you hear the various calls. Some of them, we admit, are so ridiculously trivial they’re laughable, yet their job requires a response to each call. More often than not, however, the calls are quite serious. A rundown of the news in our paper every week tells the story.

Law enforcement officers are required to have the patience of Job, the combat skills of Chuck Norris and the brave heart of a lion. A large part of their days is spent dealing with criminals — not just some days but every day. There are no days off from fighting crime. The stress factors are unimaginable.

Emergency medical technicians deal with a crisis at every turn. In every scene to which they are called, someone is hurt. They must respond quickly and be prepared to administer medical service on the go. Often, they are attempting to save a life while you are sleeping.

Much the same can be said for firefighters, who are not only prepared to enter a structure ablaze at a moment’s notice but also must be trained to administer life-saving medical service. How often have you seen a group of them trying to have lunch at a restaurant, only to be called out before their food arrives?

We should also include our 911 operators in this category. While they don’t go to emergency scenes, they, too, are first responders. They are the first ones to receive the calls, whether it is from a guy getting the clippings blown in his driveway or a child on the phone trying to give them directions to their house to save an older relative in peril. These men and women work long shifts, and their day is filled with unbelievable stress.

Somehow first responders need to recognized and appreciated. A national holiday might be a wonderful way.